Goals

The Mingo County Board of Education, meeting in special session as per West Virginia §18-5-4 July 31, 2014, agreed upon the following as themes and/or or goals for FY14.

Each thematic and/or goal area has been developed in accordance with the county board and county superintendent’s strongest convictions, namely that:

The students in the Mingo County School District are its true constituents; and,

That a high-functioning county board of education acts within the scope of properly-understood

and discharged roles and responsibilities; and,

That the county schools superintendent, acting as the Chief Executive Officer of the school

district as specified in Code (§18-4-10[1]), provides directional guidance, and proposes the necessary policy, administrative or managerial recommendations that will advance and result in county board thematic or goal areas achievements; and,

That a united, focused county board, working with a county superintendent committed to innovation, change and the desire to advance the needs of the system as a first and foremost objective, will both set and model high system standards and expectations, will embrace for itself as well as except from its administration, personnel and the highest levels of accountability; and,

That a county board that is truly focused on such convictions will embrace a vision for the Mingo County School System that welcomes, encompasses and even internalizes innovation; that embraces accountability; that is forward-looking and that builds on past accomplishments while insisting on prospective success in terms of system advancement as measured by maximized student achievement, solid, effective county board leadership, as modeled by the county board and county schools superintendent, and an informed, engaged public; and,

That the county board’s aim to create a positive culture of learning that will be diffused throughout the school system. The Mingo County Board of Education readily acknowledges such a culture of learning cannot be built if the board’s focus in on the past rather than what the school system can and should accomplish. Moreover, board leadership must and will be focused on supporting those strategies, processes, programs or initiatives deemed necessary to advance system student achievement emphases and objectives, based on informed recommendations of the county schools superintendent; and,

That the Mingo County Board of Education must be willing to accept ownership of county board decision-making and its relevance and importance to advancing student achievement.

It is with this spirit that we share these thematic and/or goal areas, particularly to the West Virginia Board of Education which has intervened in the operation of Mingo County Schools since 2005.

Goal 1. Cessation of West Virginia Board of Education System Intervention.

Simply stated, it is the goal of the Mingo County Board of Education, working with its county schools superintendent, to ensure that the Mingo County School System regain local governance autonomy for its schools and school district. To that end the Mingo County Board of Education realizes such autonomy will be regained largely if the county board of education addresses each item citied under “Leadership” by the West Virginia Office of Education Performance Audits (OEPA) in its report regarding the Mingo County Board of Education provided to the West Virginia Board of Education on August 14, 2013.

To this end, the board has:

Reviewed each such item and has developed an action step or plan for dealing with the items cited.

Dedicated itself to committing the time, effort and energies to correct these citations.

Secured proper external advisors’ suggestions for correcting each of the items cited.

Developed a proper timelines for correcting these deficiencies, including a September 30, 2014,

deadline for the county board to consider and approve a proper plan or plans for such.

Committed it to long-term ideals, principles and strategies, as included herein, that will sustain

the board’s commitment to positive, effective governance – governance that is the best interest of its students.

In furtherance of the above ends, the county superintendent will apprise the county board of progress in addressing these citations, will communicate such progress to the state superintendent of schools and the proper state Department of Education officials and will seek external technical assistance or expertise if and when such is deemed necessary to effectuate achievement of thematic or goal area.

Goal 2. Heightened Expectations.

Simply stated, the Mingo County Board of Education must commit to a future that is typified by an emphatic break from past ideologies that largely served to keep the system mired in a culture of distrust, placation, or resignation to small, incremental visions of innovation or change.

To this end, the board has:

Committed itself to raising academic achievement standards and elevating expectations throughout all facets of the system and as modeled by the county board and county schools superintendent’s administration; and,

Embraced the notion of securing and exhibiting focused, accountable, sustained county board and county superintendent governance and administration/ management, respectively.

Endorsed heartily the notion that the county board of education be equipped and prepared to lead through well-informed, intentional, rational and fitting decision-making that will address system issues and problems without hesitancy but with confidence and overall respect for system advancement that can be identified, measured and demonstrated through maximized student achievement and a student-centric focus.

Agreed to advance county board leadership that is exemplified through understanding and respect for the position, including well-established, respectful and effective intra-board relations, demonstrated respect and the establishment of an effective working relationship with the county schools superintendent, effective outreach to Mingo County’s various communities and constituencies, a profound emphasis on student achievement, and a dedicated commitment to county board governance as exemplified, in large part, through effective oversight and monitoring.

Concurred to restructure, as necessary, the nature of its meeting in order to exhibit good meeting management strategies, county board member commitment to exemplary board service practices such as being prepared for meetings, enhanced intra-board relations, open communications between and among the county board itself and the county superintendent, and a respect for county board members’ civility and personal and corporal commitment to leadership.

Goal 3. Heightened Emphasis on Student Achievement.

The Mingo County Board of Education is devoted to ensuring that its students excel in terms of student achievement as measured by various statewide or county assessments and that students, upon completion of their schooling in the Mingo County School System, be prepared for higher learning, a career or profession, the military or other gainful endeavors as part of an emphasis and respect for life-long learning.

To this end, the board has:

Agreed to establish various structures and procedures for effective oversight and monitoring which, in view of the board, are critical in ascertaining how well system students are being educated and prepared for higher learning, careers or professions, military service or other gainful endeavors.

Concurred to revamp its meeting framework so as to receive various reportage concerning student achievement matters with such reportage to be provided by the county schools superintendent and/or members of his central office administrative staff.

Committed to revising its meeting format to receive monthly reports from the various county schools in the system relative to student achievement considerations. Moreover, the Mingo County Board of Education will work closely with the county schools superintendent to ensure that these reports are presented in terms of consistent provision of information, a consistent format and a consistent means of follow-up.

Agreed to support system educators and administrators in their efforts to teach students. In this regard, the board will secure information largely from the county superintendent as to professional or staff development needs, provide, to the degree possible, various resources deemed necessary for advancing student achievement, and secure various ways and means to determine the effectiveness of programs established by the superintendent and his staff to aid in the advancement of student achievement.

Committed to provide various interventions may be necessary to ensure that the system demonstrates un-wavering commitment to advancing student achievement, including grants or other resources, securing services, as available, from Regional Education Service Agency 2, and targeting resources to schools having the greatest needs for such. , introduction of various technologies and enhanced county board training and development in this area. Moreover, the county board is committed to the leadership of its superintendent to ensure these interventions are recommended and provided.

Goal 4. Celebrate Success.

The Mingo County Board of Education is committed to advancing the evident successes that are found within its system. Celebrating these successes, however, is not an end unto itself nor is celebrating successes an appeal for brazen, unfounded system self-promotion. Rather, celebrating successes becomes an ongoing endeavor whereby the county board acknowledges seemingly small or large-scale system successes among its students, its employees and its citizenry that have or will advance the cause of public education in Mingo County.

To this end, the board has:

Concurred to evaluate the effectiveness of existing internal and external Mingo County Board of Education and/or Mingo County school administration communications efforts.

Agreed to set aside a portion of its meetings to acknowledge student, school employee or system successes.

Dedicated itself to the use of various media to publicize exemplary student, school employee or system successes, including the county board website, social media, including Facebook and Twitter, as well approaches which may be less conventional such as billboard advertising, promotion through flyers and brochures strategically situated or placed in venues throughout the county.

Embraced the notion that citizen involvement is essential for the success of the Mingo County School System, especially the importance of effectively identifying and communicating with various Mingo County citizen constituencies, including those persons who may have very indirect ties to the county school system - persons often demonstrating lack of connectedness to governance structures or entities within Mingo County itself, including the school system.

The Mingo County Board of Education, meeting September 9, 2014 has hereby adopted these goals and, as part of the action taken in so doing, forwards these to the West Virginia Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Schools, legislators representing Mingo County, various identified county elected officials, representatives of various identified county education groups, the West Virginia School Board Association, and other individuals addressed.

As required by federal laws and regulations, the Mingo County Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, disability, age and national origin in employment or in the administration of any of its educational programs and activities.